Electrical connectors for making electrical connection between insulated conductor wires terminating in female receptacles and the male terminals of, for example, an electromagnetic fuel injector are known. Such a system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,225,206 (issued to Michael J. Roman, Jr. on Sept. 30, 1980 assigned to General Motors Corporation). As shown in this '206 patent, each female terminal receptacle is lockingly engaged to the basic electrical connector body by means of, for example, a struck out lock tab cooperatively interfacing with internal shoulders in cavities formed in the interior of the basic connector body. This locking interface ideally prevents the female terminal from becoming disengaged and pulled out of position by, for example, tension on the connected conductor wire.
However, it happens too often that such a locking interface fails, allowing the female terminal to be pulled out of alignment with its intended interface with the male connector on the fuel injector, or perhaps even to be fully pulled out of the connector body. In recognition of this problem Roman provided a secondary locking flap Which engages seal sleeves on the conductor wires rearwardly of the female receptacles.
A first aspect of the present invention is to provide a secondary, wedge lock member preferably inserted into the front end of the connector body after the female terminal(s) is/are inserted into the basic connector body and initially locked into place by the tab or other projecting interface between the two. The secondary wedge lock of the present invention with centrally or radially directed compressive force provides greater mechanical integrity in the interlocking interface, preventing the primary locking interface from becoming inadvertently disengaged.
With respect to a second aspect of the present invention, such electrical connectors sometimes include a pair of opposed latching arms on the sides of the basic connector body for lockingly engaging cooperative lateral extensions on the device to which the connection is being made. The latching arms allow for ease in disengaging and unlocking the basic connector body from the device, when the latching arms are depressed. In this respect, in addition to the '206 patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,145 to Jack E. LaDuke (issued June 9, 1981 assigned to Ford Motor Company), is noted, in which a single, integral, lever arm is included on one side of the basic connector body for interfacing with a cooperative projection on the device involved. Additional reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,544,951 of J. Roberts (issued Dec. 1, 1970) which discloses a separate metal member placed around the basic connector body, which member includes two, opposed, metal latching arms.
However, a problem with all of these exemplary prior art approaches is that the latching arms are exposed and can be easily, inadvertently contacted, causing undesired disengagement of the connector from the device to which it was connected. Thus, a further aspect of the present invention is to provide protection for the latching arms, diminishing, if not preventing, inadvertent disengagement of the latching arms.